Combined sleigh and boat



Jung4, 1929. c, |NGRAM 1,716,230

' l COMBINED SLEIGH AND BOAT Filed April 5, 1928 2 Sheets-Shet l Zia 'uuuuuuunn C. M. INGRAM COMBINED SLEIGH AND BOAT June 4, 1929.

Filed April 5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l atented June 4, 1929.

titre CLIFTON M. INGRAM, OF PORTER, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO 11. W. IPRAMER, OF MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA, AND ONE-THIRD IO ROBERT DEDMON, OF

PORTER, OKLAHOMA.

Application filed April 5,

This invention relates to a combined sleight and boat, and has for one of its objects to provide a novel, simple and inexpensive device of this character which shall comprise a closed body, which shall be driven by air screws, which shall be capable of being readily steered while traveling over snow or ice or in the water, and which shall be heated by the exhaust gases of the propeller motors.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the nature of which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the sleight-boat,

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation of the sleigh-boat, Y

Figure 3 is a view in rear elevation of the sleigh-boat,

'Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on a vertical plane extending centrally and 1011-. gitudinally through the sleigh-boat, and

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken on the vertical plane indicated by the line 55 of Figure 1.

The sleigh and boat comprises a closed body having tapered front and rear ends 1 and 2, respectively, and an intermediate portion 3 of substantially rectangular formation in cross section. The lower side 1 of the front end 1 inclines downwardly and rearwardly, the lateral sides 1 incline outwardly and rearwardly, and the upper side 1 inclines upwardly and rearwardly. The lower side 2 of the rear end 2 curves downwardly and forwardly, the lateral sides 2 incline outwardly and forwardly, and the upper side 2 inclines upwardly and forwardly. The rear end of the side 1 and the front end of the side 2 are located above the upper side 3" of the intermediate portion 3, and the ends 3* of the side 3 are curved upwardly and connected to said ends of the sides 1 and 2. The configuration of the body is such as to reduce to the minimum the resistance ofiered to the movement thereof by air, water and snow.

The body is of laminated construction. Its outer layer 4 is made from steel, inner layer COMBINED SLEIGH AND BOAT.

1928. Serial No. 267,637.

5 from wood, and intermediate layer 6 from cork or other insulating material. The body is provided in the lateral sides 1 of its front end 1 with windows 7 and in the lateral sides 3 of its intermediate portion 3 with windows 8 and doors 9, respectively. The

frames of these parts have a water-tight connection with the body. The body has a, toilet room 10 which is provided by outwardly offsetting a portion of one of the 18 are carried by the upper sides of the front,

end 1 and the intermediate portion 3, respectively.

The body is mounted upon rear runners 18 and front runners 19 which latter are pivoted, as shown at 20. The'front runners 19,

which are provided at their lower sides with ribs 19, are under the control of a steering mechanism whichcomprises a shaft 21 journaled in a housing 22 and provided with a wheel 23, a shaft 24 journaled in bearings 25 and 25", a drum 26 fixed to the shaft 2 1, a cable 27 wound about the drum and connected to the runners, and gears 28 con necting the shafts. is arranged Within convenient reach of the operators seat 29.

A brake 30 which consists of side bars 31, a cross plate 32 and prongs 33 is pivotally secured through the medium of the bars to the rear ends of the runners 18, as shown at 34. The brake 30 is adapted to be supported in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined inoperative position, and is adapted to be lowered to and held in engagement with the snow or ice, by means which comprises bars 35 slidably mounted in stufling boxes 36 and having, as shown at 37, pin and slot connections with the bars 31. The stuffing boxes 36 are carried by the lower wall 2 of the rear end 2, and the bars 35 extend into the body and are provided with rack teeth. A sector pinion 38 journaled, as at 39, within the body meshes with the bars 35 andis provided with an arm 40. A

The steering wheel 23 lever 41 pivoted as at 42 within convenient reach of the operators seat 29 is connected to the arm by a link 48. Means 44 are provided for holding the lever in its adjusted position.

The sleigh and boat is provided at its front and rear ends with propellers or air screws 45 which are operated by internal combustion motors 46. Heating coils 47 are arranged within the body and connected to the exhaust pipes of the motors 46. Discharge nozzles 48 are provided for the heaters 47. The sleigh and boat is also provided with an antenna 49, and with a rudder 50. The rudder 50 is under the control of a lever 51 pivoted within convenient reach of the operators seat 29 and connected to the arm 52 of the rudder by a link 53. -Any well known or appropriatemeans, not shown, may be pro vided to permit the motors 46 to be controlled by the operator from his seat 29. A periscope 54 of any well known or. appropriate construction is mounted on the body for convenient use by the operator.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent that the sleigh and boat may be manufactured at a comparatively low cost, may be driven rapidly over snow or ice or in the water, and may be readily brought to a stop when traveling over. snow or ice. The sleigh and-boat affords ample protection against the elements, and may be suspended from the fuselage of an air craft and used for exploring the polar regions.

It should be understood that the drawings are merely illustrative and do not pretend to give exact proportions. Furthermore, the said drawings are illustrative of a preferred construction, it being my expectation that Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What is claimed is p 1. A device of the character set forth, comprising a body, rear runners fixed to the body, front runners pivotally connected to the body, steering mechanism for the front runners, a brake pivotally connected to the rear ends of the rear runners and provided with prongs, bars connected to the brake and extending into the body and provided with rack teeth, a pinion journaled within the body and meshing with the rack teeth and provided with an arm, and means arranged within the body for operating the pinion to effect the raising or lowering of the brake.

2. A device of the character set forth,

comprising a closed body, propelling and guiding means for the body, a portion of one side of the body being laterally offset, a frame within the body about the open side of said offset portion and providing a space forming, with the space provided by the offset, a toilet room, a door hung in the frame, and a toilet bowl depending from the lower side of said offset portion and flush with the upper surface of said side, said lower side of the offset portion forming a toilet seat extended towards the space enclosed by the frame. V V

3. A device of the character set forth, comprising a closed body provided with tapered front and rear ends, windows arranged in the sides of the front end, win dows and doors arranged in the sides of the body, motors carried by the front and rear ends, air screws fixed to the shafts of the motors, rear runners fixed to the body, front runners pivoted to the body, steering mechanism for the front runners, a brake'secured to the rear runners, brake lowering and raising means, a rudder carried by the rear end of the body, and rudder operating means. In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CLIFTON M. INGRAM. 

